Hi All
My good friend Laurie Kay died suddenly yesterday.
He was a South African aviator who, among other feats, flew the 747 display at Duxford in 2000 and over Ellis Park for the 1995 Rugby World Cup. (Look it up on Youtube.)
He was active in SA regularly flying the Harvard and won an auction for charity to come to Duxford and fly in the Spitfire, which I had the privilege of doing. I had no idea who I was flying, but Laurie pitched up bouncing like Tigger (at 64!), and I briefed him on what we were about to do.
“Have you any tailwheel experience?” idiot-me asked the Chief Training Captain of SAA.
“Well, only around 5000 hrs on Harvards…”
We flew, he handled it the whole time, we had an aerobatic ball. He bounced even higher afterwards.
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We visited him many times in Johannesburg and he looked after us like family.
A great friend, true aviator and one of the most kind hearted men I have ever met.
“A Feritable Tuck Up” as he would say.
Rats
By: springbok - 25th April 2013 at 15:55
I remember the display at Duxford, it was really great. Just looked at the Ellis Park flyover again, that must have been great to be there that day.
RIP
By: mmitch - 25th April 2013 at 14:05
Did he also do a 747 demo at Farnborough? Never left the airfield boundary…
mmitch.
By: Steve Bond - 25th April 2013 at 11:43
My sympathies to you and his family. I did not know him, but his amazing 747 display at Duxford will stick in my mind forever.
RIP
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April 25, 2013 at 9:39 am